Help me decide what to put here

This is a south facing bed - about two feet wide and twenty five feet long. Drainage is fair, but certainly not excellent. Despite its south facing nature, it only gets about 6 hours of sunlight in the fall/winter, due to the house (mine) that runs along its east side (I am taking the shot from the garage).

Anyway, I have juniper bushes on the other side of the driveway, but that is a well drained area. I am completely up in the air as to what to put here. This is a section of the yard that I let the rabbits have their feed, and hence, have planted less-than-tasty plants. We don't have any more deer, as the neighborhood has undergone transformation of the highest magnitude in the last three years.

I'm not partial to perrenials or annuals - I don't mind getting out there from time to time. I have some papaver I was goint to plant next Feb, but this is an area where (a) I don't get to see it often, (b) the workers drive up and down and (c) Harvey and Bugs and Roger would have a field day with the lettuce phase.

So I'm lookin for input, and if you feel strongly enough about your input, you can send photos.

Thanks
W J
Frisco, Texas
7b

How about Society Garlic?Low care in my yard, very forgiving of any conditions I can throw at it... And the bunnies wouldn't like the taste..nancy

I don,t know if rabbits like Turks cap and Flame Acanthus, but those two shrubs are red, bloom all summer, are perennials, and they attract hummingbirds and butterflies like a magnet.

Here is the link for Turk's cap
http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/56887
and the one for Flame acanthus;
http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/60921

Another great combination is Autumn Sage
http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/1074
and Mealy Blue sage.
http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/127

All of them are great trouble free Texas native shrubs.
Josephine.

How tall are the junipers? If you want matching height, what about a vine to climb the wall and fence? Crossvine would look great and climb without any supports. It would only take one plant and it would cover the whole area in a few years. Plus the bunnies have not touched my crossvine. It takes bad drainage and extended droughts.

You could put a lower plant under it on the ground. Maybe Evergreen shorter daylilies. The bunnies aren't eating my daylilies, but they get their fill on bermuda grass, sweet potato vine and oxalis in my yard. I'd have to think a little for other short plants that could take some occasional drainage issues.

Josephine those are good choices! I couldn't think of what to suggest but Turks cap is always a good choice in my opinion. My Autumn Sage have always been great to look at in both spring and autumn!

Okay, I like the Bignonia capreolata idea (the crossvine). It seems to grow rather rapidly - from what I can gather doing a quick search.

If I planted it, should I plant it in the bed that is pictured, or on the other side of the fence (that is where my 25X40 veggie garden it) and let it drape over the fence?

I also like the flame acanthus, and I have tons of salvia greggi in the back yard, and like the native Texas plant look.

Thank you all for your suggestions, and keep 'em coming. These are ideas I NEVER would have thought of, and am happy to ponder all the possibilities.

WJ

Plant it on that side. That way it will cover the whole area in green and blooms. :)

I am getting excited about this, I think it will look great with the vine and the shrubs, I love the Crossvine too.
Be sure to show us a picture of the area when it is in bloom.
Josephine.

I really like the crossvine suggestion. If you want something more formal, a row of knock-out rose bushes might look nice. Salvia and dianthus would grow well in the sun conditions you described.

I tried to think of some taller shrubs/small trees whose roots could accomodate 2ft width.
The vine suggestion seems to be the best solution.

This message was edited Nov 13, 2006 11:57 AM

Okay,

So here is what we have (from the audience) :)

(1) Crossvine against the fence (most literature says one is all I need - yes/no?)
(2) Flame acanthus - spaced appropriately
(3) Salvia greggi in between the acanthus.

Hmmmmm.

I think the most I like about this, is the cost. These are hardy cheap plants and low maintenance too.

(4) I may put a small tree in the far right (east) corner - just to anchor the whole thing - or maybe a japanese yew - - - - -I'm just thinkin' out loud ....

W J

If you add a tree, please keep with the native theme, maybe a Yaupon holly?
http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/54622/index.html

or a Possum Haw?
http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/58203/index.html

American Holly? a slow grower, but gorgeous
http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/73588/index.html

Just some suggestions.
Josephine.

sub, my vote is for tomato plants. hehe. :)

Michelle

Pretty funny Michelle, but it could work too.

I like the Yaupons, but make sure you get a female, the one with berries, because the males seem to sucker more.

You are right, so it is best to buy one that already has berries to be sure.

Tomatoes: They are on the other side of the fence, along with the summer squash, zucchini, peas, snapbeans, carrots and spinach :)

Holly - yep, got eight or nine of them in the back yard - E palaka, yupon, bushes. I like them. The berries are AWESOME right now.

I have the yews also, and like the deep rich green, with the blue berries in the late spring. I'm not much of a theme guy, but I will bow to your wishes (audience) as I have decided this is YOUR arrangement, so live vicariously through my wallet :)

WJ

As long as you have maters somewhere, then that is good. :)

What about an American Beautyberry? I just LOVE mine.

WJ, it seems to me that you shouln't have to spend much money, since you already have most of these plants.
You could take cuttings, and have them ready by Spring.
If you don't have the Crossvine, I have a cutting I could give you.
Josephine.